FAMILIES SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BE BOTHERED BY POT SMOKE, SMELL

Ted Kindos versus Steve Gibson, the Post, Feb. 10.

I am writing this letter in full support of Ted Kindos in this dispute.

I have sympathy for Steve Gibson's situation and if smoking marijuana
eases his pain that's a good thing. However, smoking pot is legal only
for him and not for the rest of us. We do not want to smell as though
we have been smoking marijuana and have to explain this to our
families and maybe the police because Mr. Gibson believes he has the
right to stand with us while he smokes his medication.

I also do not want to inhale the second-hand smoke from his joint and
perhaps have it enter my bloodstream.

Mr. Gibson states that he does not smoke marijuana in his house
because he does not want his wife and children to inhale the
second-hand smoke from his joint, but apparently he feels it is OK for
someone else's wife and children to be exposed to his second-hand
smoke. He will. however. stop doing this for the price of $20,000.

I believe that Mr. Gibson should have been counselled on the use of
his pain medication and have been advised as to where it would be
inappropriate to light up a joint when he was issued his licence.

Like many other people, I also have to take certain medications. I was
fully counselled by my doctor and my pharmacist on how and when to
take this medication. I find it hard to believe that this did not
happen in Mr. Gibson's case. I have no problem with his having a
licence to smoke marijuana as long as no one is negatively affected by
it.

Mr. Gibson seems to believe that this licence grants him the power to
ignore the rights of everyone else and possibly do actual physical
harm with his second-hand smoke.

I am glad Mr. Kindos is fighting this and we all should support him.
He is standing up for and protecting the health of all of us. I do not
believe that Mr. Kindos should have to risk losing his business and
his livelihood.

Frank & Carol Veldman,

Burlington